...but nothing grows on my Manhattan windowsill.
I have had an ongoing feud with the pigeons and squirrels who sit on, dig up, and in general destroy the flowers I foolishly buy from the Farmer's Market on Fourteenth Street.
I have in the past armed myself with a water bottle sprayer with which I shoot to no avail at obnoxious city creatures. I have yelled at them like a crazed maniac at the top of my lungs only to be gazed back upon as if I were a crazed maniac, yesterday I gave up. I was not defeated, I was charmed.
The white Impatiens I planted were uprooted and lay dead beside the clay pot, in it's stead slept the culprit, a baby squirrel. The little creature languished in the heat, it's body conformed to the pot.
I did not squirt it with water, I did not yell at it, I observed it's fat little belly rise and fall with each breath it took. I envied the peace of mind it obviously enjoyed.
I see squirrels everyday but never gave a thought to where they slept.
NYC is a tough town, it is every man for himself, or in this case, squirrel. Sarah Jessica Parker said "A squirrel is just a rat with a cuter outfit".
Perhaps, but I know beauty when I see it and I will not be planting any more flowers in that pot. If I can offer a bed to a baby, I will do so.
I do not want to get too attached, I am not going to name it. I have been down this road before with mourning doves.
This illustration was drawn for an off Broadway theater magazine concerning some Dali inspired play. The squirrel in my story is far cuter than the one I drew here.
31 comments:
Hi David
Just getting back to blogging after moving house..
Just love this post.. and particularly the clever title you chose.. I remember seeing that movie as a child and that term often pops to mind whenever I see nature surviving against the odds and popping up somewhere unexpected. .. bringing beauty and softness to our manmade world... of course ppl downunder get a glazed over look when I say it,.. have to be a movie buff I guess..
We don't have squirrels here so I always tend to think of them as something cute.. definitely will think of 'potted squirrel' in future!!
Have a great week.. weekend.. xx Julie
Love the Dali image!!
I love Dalí.
And I love squirrels.
There are thousands of them living in the trees surrounding my house. So, when I was in NY in october, I felt somehow like being home...
But I'm afraid of pigeons.
It was a hard job to make the pigeon-picture some weeks ago.
I simply don't like them.
They have a very aggressive manner of flying and speaking and eating and defecating.
I really like birds.
But not pigeons.
Thank you...
:-)
No, I've never been to Venice.
I know about the pigeon plague there.
Before I go somewhere I always inform myself of the pigeon population there.
That's always my first question at the travel agency!
- Are there pigeons?
- Yeah, you can even feed them!
- Okay, let's choose another town...
(I'm very much older than I look like ;-)
A lovely sentiment David. No squirrels here in Canberra of course, but possums galore! I am shamed to now say that I have used a product called Poss-Off to stop them from eating the basil, tomatoes etc :) No chemicals though of course...and the smell..!!
Oh - this is so charming - even though I share the 'rats with cuter outfits' sentiment with CB.
Here we call pigeons 'rats with wings'. Not so witty as CB but still true ;-)
Isn't it funny how, even though the end result is the same (ie dead plants) when you can manage to retune yourself to what might have caused it (ie it's a cute-as-a-button squirrel, not pigeons) it stops causing you grief?!
Lovely post :-)
Ali x
Hi,
I'm somehow...proud that you like to follow my blog...
Would you like to have a look at one of my paintings?
When I blogged it, noone left a comment...
I'm wondering why...
Sometimes my paintings are too expressionistic...
I'll blog some more in the next few weeks...
Here it is:
http://joeparthur.blogspot.com/2010/06/walk-in-woods-waldspaziergang.html
And, maybe you like Breakfast at Tiffany's. I think, I got some comments on it because it's easier to understand what's meant...everyone knows the film...
http://joeparthur.blogspot.com/2010/06/breakfast-at-tiffanys.html
Great illustration, great post. I live in the woods and I can't grow flowers either--groundhogs, rabbits, squirrels, and deer. All of them are cute, so I gave up on the flowers. Forget veggie gardens without eight foot fences. I struggle to feed the hummingbirds because ants and yellowjackets love the sweet water also. Picture this, a red fox with a fluffy tail trotting up my driveway with his dinner in his jaws--a dead squirrel. I don't want to know the details but it was a missed Kodak moment.
In your honour and in the honour of wall the Photographers, I published an ilustration.
Beautiful illustration!!!
and...I wish I lived in NYC!:(
I remember that quote from SATC...it really pissed me off. I think squirrels are darling. We have one that has leopard like spots. It must be some sort of desert variety.
This is the cutest thing I have ever heard! I actually love squirrels. I used to live by Washington Square Park and you could sit there in the park and have them climb up on your seat and look longingly at you with their cute little faces. Hopefully they were wishing I had a snack and not you know...trying to decide if my innards might be tasty. I'd probably melt if one showed up in my window box.
THANK YOU!
:-))))))))))))
There are (especially for you) some more smoking women on my blog.
:-)))
I love dalí!!
what a beautiful story! taking part in the massacre of plants and flowers ...
but this baby squirrel will remember your noble gesture throughout his life!
X De
That is an unbelievable story. I guess the babies don't have the sense of smell (or fear) that the grown-ups have.
We had a momma skunk and her 5 babies living under our main staircase out front. The babies followed the momma in single file wherever they went.
One morning I went to get coffee and a baby skunk was just sitting by the stairs. I looked at him and he looked at me and then he started to climb the stairs towards me.
Naturally I thought he was going to spray me so I shooed him away. But then found out baby skunks can't spray until they're 6 months old.
A missed opportunity to get bitten by a rodent.
I loved this post, we too can be overrun withe squirrels here in the countryside, I never imagined you had them in NYC. My husband loves nothing more than to get his rifle and shoot them from the bedroom window, clothing at the time is optional :)
They eat all the song bird food too.
But even though I am a keen gardener and love my flowers ...
I think like you I would have left the cute baby to sleep and enjoyed the moment, watching his little belly rise and fall. Such a lovely description. I do actually think they are cute to look at I love to see them wandering around the garden. To me they are nothing like rats, now that I would have squirted baby or not
There is something about squirrels. Once, my husband and I sat in a park transfixed by a squirrel for about an hour. How nice of you to provide one with a home.
This blog is a very interesting place!
Is that really you drawing? Illustrations are spectacular!
Happiness!
Kisses from the new follower.
What a great story and a wonderful blog. I would be drawing that baby squirrel.
thanks for the comment, i will beware and be aware! i wonder if we know any of the same people in Taos? its such a small town, really.
Thank you for visiting my blog. Your illustrations are fabolous, and I like very much what you write, too. I'll follow you with pleasure! Ciao!
Hi...you have very inspirational and readable blog. ;-)
HI David, thanks for your lovely message. I know what you mean about leaving the big city!! Big cities are tough without lots of cash. Your blog is divine, your illustrations are divine. So pleased to have found you. Carla
Great illustration :)
!!!
Johanna, Sweden
New Photos, http://johannaurban.blogspot.com/
love your blog !!
http://annawintourhatesus.blogspot.com/
Maybe Cacti are a better option for your windowsill?
David, I love this post about the little squirrel. You have such a wonderful way with words--I love reading what you have written and all your wonderful illustrations!
Pookie
This is a fabulous post. Little critters are sometimes very disarming with their innate "cuteness." How sweet of you to allow baby to curl up inside your flower pot and catch some zzz's.
I love your squirrel story, David. I have a little squirrel that visits everyday and I feed him by hand. He actually puts his little paws on my hand when I hand him the nut. I named him. I'm getting attached. I love mourning doves, too. There are three...with names.
Catherine
I love your work because there is a sense of whimsy to it. I'm sure that's why you are so successful.
I wish the image had been scanned at a higher resolution. It's great and looks like you enjoyed doing it.
I know the feeling about 'wildlife' in NYC. Things come and go. I'm sure you've seen the hawks circle Central Park. There are parrots roaming free out here in Brooklyn, too.
This is so cute! I had to go to your first post to start reading over because I didn't want to miss anything and this is the cutest story of all. I wish I could see that little squirrel. I think I'm addicted...to your blog I mean.
Post a Comment